Inside an 1840s Home in Upstate New York

Sarah and Todd Norwood traded in the urban hustle-and-bustle for a Mayberry-like existence—and a chance to put their fashionable stamp on an 1840s house in Athens, New York.

Miki Duisterhof

A Life More Ordinary

Four years ago, Sarah Norwood lived every urban hipster's fantasy, with an industrial loft in Brooklyn and a career as a fashion stylist. At night, however, she cruised websites devoted to rural real estate, poring over pictures of properties upstate. After she and her photographer husband, Todd, had their son, Archer (now 3), Sarah knew it was time to quit looking at country retreats and finally take the leap.

The place the Norwoods bought—in the tiny, no-stoplight town of Athens, New York—consisted of a restored 1840s main house, plus a completely dilapidated carriage house.

In this photo: Midcentury Paul McCobb chairs pair with a late-1800s worktable in the breakfast room. One of Sarah's own monotypes hangs at far left. The wall is painted Atrium White by Benjamin Moore.

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Miki Duisterhof

Kitchen

Intended as a weekend escape, the home quickly consumed her. Sarah experimented with color, ultimately painting the entire kitchen a high-gloss peacock blue. She mixed disparate styles—Art Deco and industrial, rustic and Regency—yielding pairings that shouldn't make sense on paper, but wow in real life. "I don't like things to look too decorated," Sarah says. Her method for composing interiors with a confident air of authenticity: "Buy stuff you love, regardless of era or price, and your home will be a true reflection of you."

Archer romps in the front hall, wallpapered with Clarence House's "La Marchande d'Amour" pattern. His mom came across the 1940s Art Deco chandelier on 1stdibs.com and the collage at Hudson's Terenchin gallery.

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Miki Duisterhof

Master Bedroom

A hand-painted folding screen from the 1950s stands behind a circa-1810 chaise in the master bedroom.

A fearless aesthetic informs the once rudimentary carriage house, now a paragon of sensitive restoration. The Norwoods carved out space for a shared studio, which led Sarah to rediscover her first passion: fine art, specifically sculpture and printmaking.

In this photo: Equipped with an antique oak island and an industrial sink, this corner of the carriage house functions as Sarah's art studio, as well as an ad-hoc kitchen for guests. The Murano glass chandelier offers a glamorous conterpoint to the hardworking pieces beneath it. The walls are painted China White by Benjamin Moore.

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Miki Duisterhof

Hallway

The Norwoods clad some of the carriage house's walls in wood salvaged during the outbuilding's renovation.

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Miki Duisterhof

Guest Bedroom

In the upstairs guest bedroom of the carriage house, a modern metal four-poster coexists with an Ikea cowhide rug and English Regency table (an heirloom from Sarah's interior-designer mother). Sarah scoured area antiques stores and flea markets, uncovering such treasures as a late-1970s prototype of a mirror by legendary designer Karl Springer.

In this photo: The carriage house's guest room brings together big-box bargains, including a Room & Board bed frame and a Lucite table from CB2 with finer finds.

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Miki Duisterhof

Archer's Room

A funny thing happened on Sarah and Todd's way to a feathered nest: They found themselves enmeshed in a community. "Life here is old-fashioned. Guests rarely use the front door," Sarah says. "Todd and I are from Georgia, and this feels close to how we grew up." Within a couple years, the two were living in Athens full-time, and Sarah had ditched the fashion world to focus on interiors.

In summer 2011, Sarah showed off her new work—both her spare monotype prints and the fully decorated carriage house—by hosting a huge exhibition-cum-bash. In keeping with the inclusive spirit of her adopted hometown, Sarah invited a few of the neighbors to display their art, too. Around here, she explains, people encourage and support one another's creativity. And it doesn't get more fashionable than that.

In this photo: Sarah and Todd pose in front of their carriage house. Archer peeks out from the family's 1970 Ford pickup.

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